Monday, 24 April 2017

Among the 25 CRPF personnel killed in the Naxalite ambush in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Monday, three jawans belonged to West Bengal.

Krishna Das, Binay Chandra Barman and Arup Karmakar were among the 25 martyrs. Das and Barman were natives of Coochbehar while Karmakar was based in Nadia district.

Six others were injured in the fierce encounter.

The encounter with 74 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) occurred at Kala Pathar near Chintagufa in Sukma, the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

The Naxals laid an ambush on a patrolling party of the CRPF near Burkapal village which was supporting road construction work in the area when they were attacked. A team of 90 CRPF jawans were sanitising a road which is being built in the area when around a large group of around 300 naxals, divided into multiple groups, attacked the CRPF party, sources said.

The injured were evacuated by helicopter and CoBRA teams of CRPF were sent as reinforcements and were conducting search operations.

A group of seven CRPF personnel including a commander went missing after the attack but were traced out later on.

According to reports, the gunbattle lasted for an hour. The Naxals looted all arms and ammunition of the CRPF jawans.

Mortal remains of CRPF personnel who lost their lives in Sukma Naxal attack, brought to CAF camp on Tuesday.